Kareem Lovell, accused of robbing a fellow minibus passenger of her tablet after reaching his stop, was yesterday remanded to prison after telling a court that he did not use a gun during the attack.
“Meh worship, I did tek way she thing, but she get it back; and I din had no gun,” was what Lovell told Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry after asking her permission to speak.
It was at this point that the magistrate cautioned the unrepresented Lovell to exercise his right to remain silent lest he further incriminate himself.
The charge against Lovell, an electrician, is that on October 21, being armed with a gun, he robbed Kira Peters of her Samsung tablet valued $160,000.
Additionally, he is accused of having in his possession eight rounds of .380 ammunition and a .380 pistol all without licence.
He denied the charges when they were read to him.
The prosecution’s case is that on the day in question, at about 8:30am, Lovell and Peters were both passengers in a minibus which was at the time travelling on Garnett Street.
Prosecutor Michael Grant told the court that Lovell exited the bus when it stopped at St Winifred’s Secondary School and whipped out a gun and pointed it at Peters, before taking her tablet away and making good his escape.
Grant said that it was the bus driver, who knows the accused, who led police to his 358 David Street, Kitty home, where he was arrested.
When given a chance to speak, he man said that while he did relieve the complainant of the item, he did not use a gun and quickly added that the item was returned.
“Meh worship, I did tek way she thing, but she get it back; and I din had no gun,” he explained, causing the magistrate to advise him to remain silent before further incriminating himself.
The prosecution objected to bail citing the nature, gravity and prevalence of the offence.
He objected also on grounds that an alleged gun was used and that the stolen item, gun and ammunition were all recovered on him.
After hearing the case, the magistrate informed Lovell that he would be remanded to prison. His matter will be called again on November 10.
